The Kenites were an ancient people living near the land of Canaan around the time of Abraham ( Genesis 15:18-21 ). 28 Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there. . Later, Isaac was born to Abraham and Sarah, and Hagar and Ishmael were driven away because of Ishmael's attitude toward Isaac ( Genesis 21:9-10, 14 ). Among the victims of the four kings during this war was all the country of the Amalekites (Genesis 14:17). The Amalekites were descendants of Esau's grandson, Amalek. ", They are in lockstep with Hillary Clinton to uproot American culture. servant of an Amalekite (30:11-15), found the Amalekite camp, defeated the enemy, and recovered his wives and possessions (30:16-20). [20][21] It is, however, possible that the name Amalek may have been given to two different nations. Corrections? Who are the descendants of Ishmael? But, although many hoped that a "silver lining" around the Shoa might be the final dissipation . Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Girl Child -Still a Burden for Indian Wives? [44], In addition, many rabbinic authorities ruled that the commandment only applies to a Jewish king or an organized community, and cannot be performed by an individual. It is also a concept and a spiritual reality. Fortunately, this conundrum has a simple answer, although Im not sure anybody can confirm it. Jews, "especially those lacking an authentic Jewish education, consider that the well-being of the world and politically correct standards of social values must be their priority -- with disregard to the harm this inflicts on them as a community." 22 They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, lived. Amalek resides in our society. Early history. Agag (/ e /; Hebrew: gg) is a Northwest Semitic name or title applied to a biblical king.It has been suggested that "Agag" was a dynastic name of the kings of Amalek, just as Pharaoh was used as a dynastic name for the ancient Egyptians. Now David is both more obedient to God and better at war than Saul ever was, so he starts fighting the Amalekites even while Saul is hunting him down (1 Samuel 27:810). This is why they will say that abortion and homosexuality, actions that detract from life, are moral imperatives. This commandment requires killing all the men, women, and children, anywhere and at any time. Amalek's spirit has continued through the millenniaits viciousness culminating in the Shoa. But each person must ask himself if he has the traits of Amalek.. and behaviors. It means the Lord is peace.). . and his associate kings subdued among others, all the country of the Amalekites, which reference need not be taken as an anachronism, but is to be understood as possibly a different Amalek, or better, that the term is used to identify the land which later became the home of the Amalekite descendants of Esau. Every man, woman, and child of Amalek needs to be wiped out. Perhaps the greatest lesson of the stories of Israel and Amalek is that Gods commands are followed even by sand and storm and time itself. Many prosperous people will join in for the greatest jealousy is of virtue, and even the rich and famous are infested with it. 4 [Dec., 1969], 104-111). In fact, in 1990,JamesZogby, presidentof the Arab American Institute, established a . Amalek in later history. Gideon was an Abiezrite of the tribe of Manasseh who lived in Ophrah2. This can be compared to a bathtub of boiling water into which no living creature could descend. The name "Amalek" can refer to the nation's founder, a grandson of Esau; his descendants, the Amalekites; or the territories of Amalek, which they inhabited. Verses 8-16. Gideon, not surprisingly, is victorious. For example, Rabbi Hayim Palaggi stated: We can rely on the maxim that in ancient times, Sennacherib confused the lineage of many nations. The third reason is my favorite, because God did in fact command the absolute destruction of the AmalekitesHe says He will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven (Exodus 17:14)and sure enough, theyre gone! Amalek was burned but he wanted so much to harm Israel that he didnt care, even though Israel hadnt done anything to them. Not only that, but the Amalekites continued to be a thorn in Israel's side throughout their history. In short, Saul fights them, David defeats them, and Solomon sets them to forced labor. An ancient marauding people in the S of Canaan and the Negeb who were fierce enemies of Israel particularly in the earlier part of her history. It should be mandatory reading at the Shabbat table. It is also a concept and a spiritual reality. The Bible notes a great deal of hatred and animosity between the Israelites and Amalekites: But great for God, whose goal is glory for Himself, not glory for Gideon. Different people can embody that concept. Early history. No archaeological records have ever been found that can be definitively linked to Amalek. Today, 30 years later, one sees the power of this concept: Jews in the United States, like those in Israel, are now viewed by a generation of progressives as 'oppressors.'. Instead, this is the part of the story where Israel gets angry with God for taking them out of Egypt, and God declares that nobody who left Egypt will make it to the Promised Land. And it was an Amalekite who killed Saul, the first king of Israel. Consider the never ending virtue signaling that businesses, schools, and Hollywood proudly demonstrate while displaying no understanding of the irony [emphasis mine] of it all. This continued until the plague of the death of the firstborn and finished him completely.. That they were of obscure origin is . They are Arabs who are mostly Muslim and some who are Christian. If Amalek has always been identified with the enemies of Israel, then perhaps they were never a distinct nation that would leave behind distinctive artifacts. Their final defeat occurred in the time of Hezekiah. When some men of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites who exercised some control over the Negeb and the area of Hebron, presumably they also came in contact with the Amalekites who roamed the same general area. Amalek, on the other hand, despises the moral values in our Constitution, loathes the protections of the individual and seeks to destroy the opportunities that create our well-being and wealth. Now this story is long, but Im telling the whole tale here because its a great story. The prescient Zogby understood how the Jewish left could easily become the willing lynchpin of his strategy. d. In the time of David. Also Minchat Chinuch, parshat Ki Tetze, mitzvah 434. For once, Saul has an opportunity to finish the job himself. ). Moses goes on to command that for this wicked treatment of an oppressed people, Israel later, when in the land of Canaan, was to exterminate the Amalekites (Deut 25:19). According to the midrash (homiletic teachings), after killing Jewish men, Amalek cut off the brit milah (circumcision) of the male Jewish casualties and threw them up at heaven. Therefore, it is forbidden to perform the commandment. Origen of Alexandria is sometimes cited as having viewed the herem passages allegorically; Hofreiter argues that although Origen viewed a spiritual interpretation as having primary importance to Christians, he did not deny that the herem passages described historical events.[54]. At the dawn of the American Revolution, John Adams observed, "If the people are capable of understanding, seeing and feeling the differences between true and false, right and wrong, virtue and vice, to what better principle can the friends of mankind apply, than to the sense of this difference? Saul not only fails to kill Agag, but he also keeps all the best livestock alive and takes it for himself. The fact that synagogues got tagged and Jewish businesses were looted with [signs saying] 'Free Palestine' and 'Kill the Jews,' is not a coincidence. That is why Amalek and those who go in his way simply cannot bear the sight of Israel.. These people were trying to hide their identity and they have changed their identity many times.. This can even be left-wing Jews in Israel.. CAIR or the Council on American-Islamic Relations has connections with the Muslim Brotherhood which seeks to infiltrate America and destroy the country. The Amalekites, descended from Amalek, a grandson of Esau, fall naturally into the anti-Israel alliance. Rabbi Asher Benzio Buchman[1] in the journal Hakirah (Volume 28, Spring 2020) explains: [T]he base of the Democratic Party in the United States is made up of the envious lower classes, the Muslims, and the G-dless 'intellectuals' who dominate and indoctrinate on our college campuses and in the media. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Local leaders urged Orthodox Jews, who were the victims of the racist violence, to atone for their imaginary crimes of racism and to take up the hateful slogan of Black Lives Matter. We are hardwired to want eternity and to seek meaning., Liberalism claims to be the avenger of justice and truth. Although he scalded himself, he succeeded to make others think that it was cooler than it really was. The Amalekites never existed, and the stories in Scripture are entirely mythological. Chapter counts, verse counts, and word counts for every book, chapter, and verse in the Bible. This was because Haman was considered to be an Amalekite although this label is more likely to be symbolic rather than literal.[33][34][35]. The king attacked and conquered this foe with their city called Amalek (1 Sam 15:4-7) the exact location of which is not known. defeats enemies before Israels army even gets there, How the Books of the Bible Got Their Names, A List of Books In the Bible By Number of Chapters. [19] C. Knight elaborates this concept by making a comparison: one might say "Caesar went into France", though Gaul only later became known as France. This can be Jews or non-Jews. God has made His point, so Gideon calls out the Ephraimites to join his pursuit. Only if they refuse must they be physically killed. Anyone who acts this way today is from the seed of Amalek., The commandment isnt to conquer Amalek. The Amalekites seem to have been descendants of Amalek, the grandson of Esau (Genesis 36:12).They separated themselves off from the other Edomites at an early date, and became the predominant tribe in the more northern parts of the Sinaitic peninsula, claiming and exercising a sovereignty over the whole of the desert country between the borders of Palestine . Which must have been a weird dream for them, and an even weirder interpretation, but their conversation encourages Gideon. [53], According to Christian Hofreiter, historically almost all Christian authorities and theologians have interpreted the herem passages as referring to real, historical events when God commanded the Israelites to exterminate all the members of particular nations. 15:8). Israel rebelled. According to the, (homiletic teachings), after killing Jewish men, Amalek cut off the, (circumcision) of the male Jewish casualties and threw them up at heaven. Rabbi Berger quoted Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, an 11th century French Torah scholar who is known by the acronym Rashi, who explained the verse. As enumerated by Maimonides, the three mitzvot state: 598 Deut. That is because Amalek in gematria (Hebrew numerology) is 240, equal to the word safek (doubt); they want you to doubt what you know is clearly the word of God., Amalek puts emotions over the intellect. By tradition, the Amalekites were the descendants of the Edomite, Amalek, himself the grandson of Esauunless you are Arabian, in which case Amalek was the grandson of another Amalek who was also the Chief of the Amalekites, which was in fact, just another name for the Canaanites. 1. Therefore, when Hashem your God grants you safety from all your enemies around you, in the land that Hashem your God is giving you as a hereditary portion, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. [36][37][38][39] It has also been described as genocidal, according to genocide scholars like Norman Naimark.[40][41][42][43]. In the Beginning. Israel365 News is the only media outlet reporting on it. [8] One modern scholar believes this attests to Amalek's high antiquity,[9] while traditional commentator Rashi states: "He came before all of them to make war with Israel". Moreover, far too many liberal rabbis in American seem to be content with ignoring the avowed enemies of the Jewish people. Theyve gotten hangry, so God has sent them quail and manna from heaven (Exodus 16:4) and water from a rock (Exodus 17:56). [13] However, it is possible that some of the fortified settlements in the Negev highlands and even Tel Masos (near Beer-sheba) have Amalek connections. 1 Chronicles 4:41-43 (NASB) 41 "These, recorded by name, came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and [a]attacked their tents and the Meunites who were found there, and destroyed them utterly .